Ramaphosa 'not surprised' by DA, Afriforum Expropriation Act court challenge
President Cyril Ramaphosa has accepted the Democratic Alliance (DA) and civil rights organisation AfriForum’s decision to challenge the Expropriation Act to the Western Cape High Court.
The duo is arguing that the legislation threatens property rights and could allow unconstitutional land seizures.
The DA has requested the High Court to declare the Act invalid, arguing that certain provisions are irrational and that the parliamentary process used to pass the legislation was flawed.
AfriForum Chief Executive Officer Kallie Kriel, who addressed supporters and media outside the court on Monday, also criticised the Act, warning that it could have serious economic consequences if implemented.
Kriel said AfriForum was opposing the legislation because it believes it could harm South Africans nationwide.
"We believe that this act would be to the detriment of everybody in the country. We have seen what happened in Zimbabwe. While it was portrayed to benefit the poor, only the political elite were enriched."
The president officiated the opening of the King Nyabela District Hospital in Mpumalanga on Tuesday, and during the ceremony he told the media that he is aware of the DA’s view and disagreement on the Act, expressing that the party’s decision doesn’t surprise him.
“On the expropriation act, they did express their disagreement with us at a very early stage, and they have problems with certain aspects of that Act, and it's their democratic right to go to court, to go and have the provisions of the Act tested.”
He reiterated that the government would abide by the ruling of the High Court, and the same is expected from the DA.
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